Switch and method of assembly



Feb. 9, 1960 Filed April 15, 1957 R. D. HICKOK, JR

SWITCH AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 In PM" 5/ at a l 0% 0W; 0 0

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0000000 00000 0000 0000000m00000 0 0000210000000 000 ,h0000 00 g0000 000 000000 00 000 0000000 0 000 0000 m 0 9000 0 0 000 0000000000000 00770000009 0000 o INVENTOR- Aoeserfi/l/cxoAgJ'e. El a I fiG- a I ,I

Arron/v Feb. 9, 1960 R. D. HICKOK, JR 2,924,678

I SWITCH AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY Filed April 15, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. IPOBERT awe/(0K, Jk. 7 83 m, I

ArroR/vsys Feb. 9, 1960 R. D. HICKOK, JR 2,924,678

SWITCH AND METHOD OF ASSEMBLY Filed April 15, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

RoaewrQfl/cxaqfi. BY r k Arromve'ys Uuited States Patent 7 2,924,678 r swrrcn AND METHOD OFASSEMBLY H Robert D. Hickok, Jr., Daisy Hill, Ohio, assignor to Cleveland Patents, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio I The present invention relates to a multiple circuit selector switch device and, more particularly, to a card controlled switch for selectively actuating certain ones of a plurality of circuits, such as tube testing circuits.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a new and 'improved' pattern controlled switch device in which a plurality of individual switches to be selectively actuated have stems extending into a movable carriage adapted to receive a card having imperforate areas for engaging certain stems and operating the latter upon movement of the carriage, and in which the carriage is formed by three superimposed plates having aligned apertures which permit relative movement between the carriage and the switch stems which are not to be actuated upon movement of the carriage and which form shoulder means engageable with shoulder means on the stems of the switches to return actuated stems to a non-actuated position;

Another object is to provide a novel "selector switch device as referred to above in which the guideway for the control card is formed by adjacent plates of the carriage.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a pattern controlled selector switch in which a control card controls the movement of a bridging pin received in and slidable with respect to a socket type contact and axially movable to a position in engagement with a second contact to close a circuit, the pin being provided with a recess which cooperates with detent means on the upper contact member-to releasably secure the pin in an upper, nonbridging position.

Yet another object is to provide a new and improved switch bank having a plurality of switches to be selectively actuated and wherein a plurality of contacts constituting the contact elements of dilferent switches are supported in laterally spaced relationship by a first plate having apertures therein for receiving respective ones of said contacts and wherein corresponding one ends of said contacts have transverse portions which abut one side of the first plate and are clamped thereagainst by a second plate. i

A further object is to provide a switch bank of the character mentioned above in which the second plate has a plurality of apertures aligned with contacts supported by the plates for. facilitating the making of electrical connections to said contacts.

A still further object is to provide a new and improved bank of switches of the character mentioned above in which certain ones of the contacts to be connected to'a common terminal are arranged in a row and are formed from a single strip of material having a selvage portion interconnecting the contacts, the selvage portion being clamped between the plates supporting the contacts.

It is also an object of the present inventionto provide a new and improved method of assembling and supporting in spaced relationship the contact elements of different switches, which method comprises forming the con- 2 tact elements from a strip of sheet metal'with -a transverse portion at one end of each contact and supporting the contacts by clamping the transverse portions between two plate members.

It is a further object to provide a method of assembling a plurality of contacts as set out above wherein electrical connection is made to at least certain ones of the contacts through one of the plate members.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof and wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a pattern controlled multiple circuit selector switch device embodying the present invention; j i

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the switch device shown in Fig. 1; t

Fig. 3 is an elevational view looking at the left-side of the switch shown in Fig. 2 and showing the switch in'its operated position;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view corresponding to Fig. 3 but showing the switch in a nonoperated position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken approximately along line 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken approximately along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken approximately along line 7-7 of Fig. 5, and

Fig. 8 is a plan View of a control card suitable for use with the pattern control switch shown in the drawing.

Referring to the drawings, the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a pattern controlled, multiple circuit selector switch device especially suitable for use to select or make circuits in accordance with the punched pattern on a control card. The switch device shown includes a bank of individual switches 10 having actuating stems 11 extending upwardly therefrom, a support structure 12 for the switches 10, and a carriage 13 movable with respect to the support structure 12 and adapted to receive a punched card 14. The carriage 13 and punched card 14 cooperate to selectively actuate selected ones of the switches in accordance with the punched pattern of the card upon movement of the carriage to a switch operating position.

The individual switches 10 each comprise an upper contact 16 and a lower contact 17 supported in spaced relationship to each other. The contacts 16, 17 are, in the illustrated embodiment, sheet metal, socket type contacts having socket portions 16a, 17a respectively. The contacts of each switch are supported in axially aligned relationship and the lower portions of actuating stems 11 constitute bridging pins 18 to bridge the contacts of the respective switches to close the latter and close the switch. Each actuating stem 11 and bridging pin 18 extends through the corresponding upper contact 16 and the lower end thereof is disposed in a position above the corresponding lower contact 17 when the switch is in its open position. To close the switch the bridging pin 18 is moved downwardly until the pin is received within the corresponding lower socket contact 17. 1

The upper contact 16, which is formed of sheet metal, is deflected inwardly adjacent its lower end to form an annular ridge 20 which yieldably engages the corresponding bridging pin 18 and is receivable in an annular groove 21 adjacent the lower end of the respective bridging pin when the pin is in its uppermost position. '1 he ridge 20 functions as a detent for holding the pin in its upper, switch-opened position. The socket portions of the contacts 16, 17 preferably have axially extending slots 23 therein which divide the outer terminating portion of the socket into a plurality of spring fingers 24 for en- 3 gaging the bridging pins. The internal ridge 20 is formed in the fingers 24 and resiliently urged by the fingers toward engagement with the groove 21.

Theupper socket contacts 16 aresupported by spaced support plates 26, 27, and the contacts 16 each have a transverse portion 28 at the inner end thereof which is clamped between the plates 26, 27. The socket portions 16a of the contacts 16 extend outwardly from the transverse portions 28 through individual apertures 31 in the support plate 27 toward the contacts 17 and the transverse portions 28 are of greater transverse dimension than the apertures 30. I i

The upper support plate 26 is provided with apertures 31 aligned with the apertures 39 in the plate 27 and the bridging pins 18 of the switches extend from the contacts 16 through the apertures 36, 31 and outwardly of the support plate 26 into the carriage 13. Electrical connection is made to the transverse portions 23 f. the contacts as will be described in more detail hereinafter.

The lower socket contacts 17 are supported in laterally spaced relationship in alignment with their correspondingone of the upper socket contacts by spaced support plates 34, 35 which clampingly engage a transverse portion 36, preferably formed integrally with the inner end of the socket portion17a. The socket portions extend upwardly from the transverse portions 36 through the individual apertures 37 in the support plate 34 and the support plate 35 is provided with apertures 38 each aligned with a respective one of the apertures 37. The apertures 38 permit electrical connection to be made through the plate 35 in a manner to be described in more detail hereinafter.

The upper and lower contacts are mounted in their stationary spaced relationship by studs 40 which pass through the corners of the support plates 26, 27, 34, 35 and through lugs 41 formed as a part of spaced side plates 42, 43 positioned below the support plates. The support plate 35 rests on the lugs 41 and the spacer members 45 are provided on the studs 40 to space the support plate 27 from the support plate 34 to hold the contacts 16, 17 in their proper spaced relationship. Spacer members 46 may also be provided on the studs 40 to space the plate 26 from the plate 27 and to space the plate 34 from the plate 35 if desired. Attention is directed to the fact that the transverse portions 28 will function as spacers for support plates 26, 27 and transverse portions 36 for the support plates 34, 35. Nuts 49, threaded onto the opposite ends of the studs 40 are threaded onto the studs to clamp the assembly, including the support plates 26, 27, 34, 35, against the lugs 41.

The bank of switches 10, and the support structure 11 including thev spaced side plates 42, 43 are supported in depending relationship to plate 50 by bolts 51 which pass through apertures in lug portions of members 46 spacing the upper plates 26, 27.

The carriage 13 is positioned above the bank of switches and receives the actuating stems of the switches, in this case the upper ends of the bridging pins 18. The carriage 13 is comprised of three superimposed plates 52, 53, 54 with the carriage plate 52 being uppermost, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, and the carriage plate 54 being lowermost and adjacent the upper side of the plate 50. The plate 50' has-a cut-out portion 55 between the carriage 13 andthe upper contact support plate 26 to permit the passage of the pins 18.

The pins 18 extend into individual openings 57 in the intermediate carriage plate 53 through respective apertures 58 in the carriage plate 54. The openings 57 are aligned with the corresponding apertures 58 and the openings 57have a larger transverse dimension than the apertures 58.' The portion of each pin 18 within the corresponding opening 57, is provided with a respective shoulder 60. Each ofthe shoulders 66 is formed. on the respective pin at a point from the upper end thereof which is approximately equal to the thickness of the interme- 2,924,678 k I U 7.

diate carriage plate 53 so that if the shoulder 60 is positioned against the carriage plate 54 the upper end of the bridging pin 18 will terminate within the corresponding opening 57. The upper plate 52 is provided with apertures 61 aligned with the openings 57 for reasons which will be apparent hereinafter. a

The side of the carriage plate '52 which is adjacent the intermediatev carriage plate 53 is recessed to form a guideway 63 for receiving the control card 14. The guideway 63 opens into the forward end of the carriage 13 as the latter is viewed in Fig. l and 'thecard 14, having perforate and imperforate areas for controlling the operation of the switches 10, is insertabletherein. To position the control card 14, in the guideway 63 all the pins 18 must be positioned so that they terminate short of the guideway 63. After the card 14 is inserted into the guideway, movement of the carriage in a direction toward the switches 10; willbe transmitted tothe pins 13 provided an imperfor ate areaof the card is disposed opposite to the adjacent end'of the particular bridging pin 13. If a perforation occurs opposite thefend of the particular bridging pin 13, the carriage 13 may move relative to the bridging pin 18;untiltheshoulder. 60 thereon is positioned at the upper fendqofthe corresponding opening 57 and adjacent the control cal-(1.14. It can be seen, therefore, that if-the carriage 13 is. moved upwardly to a position where the Plate 54; eugagesfthe undersides of the shoulder 60 when-the pins 18 are disposed in an uppermost position with the detent:ri dges-20. engaged in the grooves 21 of the pins, selected'onesofthe switches may be actuated by inserting. a card having an imperforate area disposed opposite the upper endofthe bridging pin to be actuated and a perforation opposite the pairs of the switches not tobe actuated. Toactuate the selected switches the carriage is moved fromthe described uppermost position, *shown in Fig. 4,: downwardly toward the switchesltl and. the br'idgingpins 18; having imperforate areas opposite their upperi ends move downwardly into their corresponding sockets 17 while the bridging pins 18 havingperforate areas disposed opposite theirupperends remain stationary and will be received in the corresponding aligned apertures in theip'late- 52 as the carriage is; movedrdownwardly. ltwill he noted that when the carriage isretu'rned to the uppermost. positionshown in Fig.4, thelower plate 54-.will. engage the undersides of the shoulders 6010fthosepinswhich have been actuated to causathezreturn of .thebridging-pin's 18=to their uppermost position. 1

The carriage13 is spring-loaded to a switch operated position and is moved to its: switch open position'against the springload by: depressingfaverti'cal rod 65 havinga knob 66.on its upper end; Thesknob' 66 is disposed above the plate .50 and the rod. 65 'extends downwardly from the knob .66 through the. plate 50 and through a bushing 67 fastened to the lower side of the plate 50. The lower end of therod 65 carries. a clevis or yoke 68 having spaced dependingarms'70-and a roller 71 rotatably supported on a shaft 72 is mounted between the arms 71 adjacent the inner ends thereof. The roller 72 rides on one end portion of a rockablelever 73-having a cam roller 74carriedby its-end portion remote from the roller 72. The cam roller 74 engages the underside of a plate 75, as the switch device is'vie'wed irr Figs. 2 and 3, disposed between the side plates 42', 43' and extending parallel to the support plate 38. The cam roller 74 is rotatably supported on a shaft mounted between a pair of arms c onnectedto and extending transversely ofthe lever 73. I

The lever' 73 is fixedto a rocker shaft 78'--rotatably supported at its opposite ends by the side plates 42, 43 and having collars 30 at its opposite ends which abut the inner side of the side plates 42, 43.

The plate is rigidly connectedno the carriage 13 so as to move therewith by a plurality of rods 82 which depend from the carriage 1-3 and extend through the support plates 26, 27, 34, 35 and are connected tothe plate 75 at their lower ends as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3. The portions of the rods 82 on the opposite sides of the carriage 13 are threaded and the carriage plates are held in their assembled position by nuts which are threaded on to the rods and which engage the opposite sides of the carriage.

The carriage 13 is spring-loaded to a switch-actuated, or operated, position by biasing springs 84 on the portions of the rods 82 intermediate the plate 75 and the support plate 35. The springs act against the plate 75 at their one ends andagainst the support plate 35 at their other ends to urge the plate '75 downwardly, as the switch device is viewed in Figs. 2 and 3, to urge the carriage 13 to its lowermost position where imperforate areas of the control card 14 in the carriage will have actuated the bridging pins aligned therewith.

When the carriage 13 including plate 75 is in the position to which it is urged by the springs 84, the knob 66 and the rod 65 are in their elevated position sincethe latter are positioned on the side of the rocker shaft 78 opposite to the cam roller 74. When the knob 66 is depressed and the lever 73 rocks about the shaft 7 8 against the bias of springs 84, the carriage 13 is moved to its switch open position where all the bridging pins are lifted out of engagement with the lower contacts 17.

The carriage 13 is normally held in its switch open position by a latch member 86. The latch member 86 is pivotally supported in a recess 87 in the bushing 67 and is receivable in a groove 88 in the rod 65 when the carriag'e is in its switch open position. The latch member 86 and the recess 87 lie in a radial plane of the bushing 67 and the latch member extends outwardly from the bushing 67 and is biased in a clockwise direction about its pivot toward engagement with the groove 88 by a 6;? wrongly so that the member is not actuated, thus insuring the correct insertion of the card.

The switch device is also preferably provided with a micro switch 103 actuated by movement of the carriage to a switch actuated position to perform a control or interlocking operation such as energizing one set of contacts of the switch. The micro switch 103 is supported by the side plate member 42 and has an actuating stern 104 extending upwardly therefrom. The switch actuating member 104 is engaged and moved by the plate 75 when the carriage moves to its switch operated position.

The use of support plates and carriage plates in the manner described greatly facilitates the assembling and wiring of the switch device. The plates forming the support plate and the outer plates of the carriage 13 may be: of the same construction with the exception that prefer-- ably the outer carriage plate is formed with the guideway' for receiving the control card 14. The intermediate car-- riage plate differs in construction in that the openings. therethrough are of a larger diameter than the openings in the support plate and the other carriage plates.

same manner, only the lower contacts and the support structure therefor will be described in detail. The socket portions 17a of the lower contacts 17 are received in the individual openings 37 in the support plate 34 and the transverse portions 36 of the contacts are clamped between the support plates 34, 35. Preferably the contacts spring 90 connected at its one end to the outer end of the latch member 86 and at its other end to an ear 91 extending outwardly from the adjacent spacer member 46. The latch member 86 is also connected to an armature 92 of an electromagnet 83 fastened to the underside of plate 50. Energization of the electromagnet 93 causes movement of the armature 92 in a direction to movethe latch member 86 counterclockwise about its pivot as viewed in Fig. 2 to disengage the latch member from the groove 88. When the latch member 86 is clear of the groove in the rod 65, the spring bias due to the springs 84 will cause the rod 65 to move upwardly and the carriage'13 to move downwardly to its switch actuated position. The limit of movement of the carriage 13 in response to the springs 84 upon release of the latch member 86 is determined, in the illustrated switch device, by the engagement of a resilient shock-absorbing bushing 95 on the rod 65' with the underside of the bushing 67. The

, resilient bushing 95 is positioned against a collar 96 fixed tothe rod 65 adjacentthe side of the resilient bushing 95 remote from the bushing 67 and the collar 96 is preferably adjustable to enable the upper limit of movement of the carriage 12 to be adjusted. It will be understood that a spring could be utilized in the place of the bushing 95.

Adjustable collars 98 are also preferably provided on s the portions of the rods 82 intermediate the support plate 27 and the support plate 34. The collars 98 are preferably' adjusted so that they engage the support plate 26 when the groove 88in the rod 65 is aligned with the latch member 86 to facilitate the latching of the latter.

The electromagnet 93 is preferably energized automatically in response to the insertion of a control card 17 are formed by stamping a plurality of contacts from a single strip of metal where the socket portions are formed by the metal on one side of a line extending longitudinally of the strip and the transverse portions are formed by the metal on the other side of the line. The transverse portions 36, which constitute the selvage of the strip from which the contacts are formed, and the contacts formed from a single strip are integral after stamping. The contacts 17 shown in Fig. 5 were formed from a single strip of metal and, as is apparent, are integral with the selvage of the strip, the selvage interconnecting four of the contacts 17 shown in Fig. 5 and forming the transverse portions of the individual contacts. Although the selvage is preferably corrugated as shown in Figs. 5-7, the socket portions of the contacts of each strip are aligned. It can be seen that when a series of contacts of different switches are to be connected to a common junction the contacts may be assembled as a unit by inserting the contact portion 17a thereof into the receiving apertures 37 and clamping the support plate 35 against the selvage of the strip to secure the contacts in position. It will be noted that the apertures in the support plate 34 are spaced a distance which corresponds to the spacing of the socket portions of the contacts 17 when the latter are interconnected in strip form. The contacts formed from a single strip may be severed, if desired, into single contacts or into groups of contacts of a desired number, and then assembled in laterally spaced relationship by inserting the contact portions thereof through the apertures in the support plate 34. v

The openings in the backing support plate, in this case the support plate 35, facilitate making electrical connec tion to the individual contacts wherethe contacts are not, accessible from the sides of the switch. Preferably, the:- transverse portion 36 of the contact is provided with atail 112 before assembly when electrical connection is to.

be made through an aperture 38, the tail passing through a respective aperture 38 in the plate 35 when the switch is assembled. Electrical connection may then be made to the tail 112.

For the contacts located adjacent the outer side edges. of the support plates 34, 3-5, electrical connection may be 'made by wires which are led to the transverse portions 36 by passing between the support plates 34, 3'5,

If the contactadjacent the outer edge is the end one of a row of contacts, this connection would serve as the terminal for all of the, contacts of the row.

In producing switch devices of the type described, the support plates and the carriage plates may be made with a plurality of openings that will register when plates are assembled with the openings in all plates, similarly arranged in rows and columns. The same plates may b used for switch devices which do not require the number of individual switches represented by the capacity of plates by only providing the requisite number of contacts, or the contact may be provided for each opening but certain bridging pins omitted if all the contacts are not needed. 7

If the lower contacts of certain switches are to be con nected to a common terminal a plurality of contacts connected by the selvages may be, inserted in the openings of a column or row and electrical connection made to the selvage at one point only. The, selvage may be led out between the support plates as shown in Fig, 6, if desired to facilitate making the connection after assembly of the switch. 7 Also, as mentioned above, individual contacts or groups of certain number of contacts may be provided and electrical connection made thereto through the apertures 38.

The upper contacts 16 are assembled and supported in the same manner as the lower contacts 17. It will be noted that the corrugated salvage of the contact strip provides ridges andvalleys with the valleys disposed to permit the passage of the bridging pins '18 past the selvage.

The described method and structure for supporting switch contacts in laterally spaced relationship provides a switch structure and method of assembling the, same which minimizes wiring problems. It can be. seen that if the upper contacts are arranged in rows extending in one direction with the contacts of each row interconnected and the lower contacts are arranged in rows extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the rows of the upper contacts with the, contacts of each row interconnected by failing to sever the selvage and the rows arranged so that upper contacts are aligned with a respective lower contact, N number of terminals each connected to a respective one of the rows of upper contacts can be selectively connected to any one of an X number of terminals each connected to a respective one of the rows of the lower contacts, since each row of upper contacts has an individual contact aligned with a contact of each row of the lower contacts. In spite of the fact that individual socket type contacts are utilized, the above arrangement can be completed with only an N number of electrical connections to be made to the upper contacts and an X number of electrical connections to be made to the lower group of contacts.

It can now be seen that the present invention provides a simple, rugged, and quickly operated switch devicecontrolled by a card having perforate and imperforate areas arranged in a pattern according to the individualswitches to be actuated. The structure of the switch is such that the switch may be readily assembled and wired in a minimumof time and that a new and improved method of assembling and supporting a plurality of switch contacts in laterally spaced relationship has been provided.

While the terms upper and lower have been used in the description of the illustrated embodiment, it is to be understood that the switch may be oriented in any desired position and that the terms upper and lower have only been used as a convenient way of describing the device. Furthermore, the pins 18 have been described as bridging pins for two stationary contacts. The pins 18 can also be considered as movable contacts cooperating with stationary contacts 47 Although the novel switch and method of assembling have been illustrated and described herein to a detailed extent, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limited correspond- 8 ingly in scope but includes all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the claims hereof.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a switch device, an electric switch comprising first and second spaced metal contacts, said first contact being tubular and formed of sheet metal and said second contact being spaced axially from said first contact, a bridging pin coaxial with said contacts and extending through said first contact to extend from the opposite ends thereof and being movable toward the second contact from a first position clear of said second contact to a second position in engagement with said second contact, said first contact each having slots opening into the end thereof adjacent said second contact and providing a plurality of resilient fingers for engaging said pin, an internal annular shoulder integrally formed in said first contact and engageable with a recess in said pin when the latter is moved axially to said second position.

2. In a switch device, a plurality of switches each comprising first and second contacts, said'first contacts being tubular contacts formed of sheet metal and said second contacts being spaced axially from its corresponding first contact, each of said switches having a bridging pin coaxial with the first contact of the switch and extendingthrough the first contact and movable between a first position clear of the second contact of the switch to a second position in engagement with the first and second contacts of the switch, cooperating detent means on said first contacts and said pins, said detent means on each of said first contacts being adapted to cooperate with detent means on the pin of the corresponding switch to hold the pin in its said first position, a support structure supporting said first contacts in laterally spaced relationship and said second contacts in laterally spaced relationship, a movable carriage adjacent said first contacts and receiving the end portions of said pins remote from said s cond contacts and being adapted to receive pattern means for selectively actuating certain of said pins from their said first positions to their said second positions upon movement of the carriage in one direction, said carriage including means to return actuated pins to their said first position upon movement in the opposite direction.

3. In a switch device as defined in claim 2 wherein means is provided for actuating said carriage in said opposite direction to return stems from their second positionsto their first positions and said carriage includes adjustable stop means engageable with said support structure to limit the movement of said carriage in said opposite direction to a position where said actuating stems are in their said first positions.

4. In a switch device,.a plurality of switches each comprising first and second contacts, said first contact being tubular and formed of sheet metal and said second contacts being spaced axially from its respective first contact, each of said switches including a bridging pin coaxial with the first contact of the switch and extending through the first contact and movable between a first position clear of the second contact of the switch to a second position in engagement with the first and second contacts of the switch, each of said first contacts being formed with an integral detent shoulder receivable in a recess in the cooperating pin when the latter is in its said first position, means supporting said first contacts in laterally spaced relationship to each other and said second contacts in laterally spaced relationship to each other, a movable carriage adjacent said first contacts and receiving the end portions of said pins remote from said second contacts and being adapted to receive pattern means for selectively actuating certain of said pins from their said first positions to their said second positions upon movement of the carriage in one direction, said carriage including means to. return actuated pins, to their said first position upon movement in the opposite. direcion.

said first contacts are respectively supported in laterally spaced relationship by a pair of plates of insulating material with the first contacts received in apertures in one ofthe plates of the pair and wherein said first contacts have transverse portions disposed between and clamped by the pair of plates supporting the first contacts.

6. In a switch device as defined in claim 2 and wherein said first contacts are respectively supported in laterally spaced relationship by a pair of plates of insulating material with the firstcontacts being received in aperturesin one of the plates of the pair and wherein said first contacts have transverse portions disposed and clamped by the pair of plates supporting the first contacts, the other plates of said pair having apertures therein" aligned with the contacts supported thereby.

7. A selector switch mechanism, a support structure, a carriage movable relative to said support structure and having a guideway therein, a control card in said guideway and having spaced openings and spaced imperforate control areas, a bank of stationary switch contacts on said support structure, a bank of movable switch contacts for cooperating with the stationary contacts and including projecting contact actuating stems extending.

in a direction to intersect the plane of said guideway with certain of said stems aligned with openings and other stems aligned with imperforate areas in said control card, said structure including a plate member for supporting switch contacts and extending parallel to the plane of said guideway, actuator means elfective for moving said carriage relative to said structure and in a direction to cause actuation of said stems by said imperforate areas, a cam having a lift stroke efiective for moving said carriage in the opposite direction in opposition to said actuator means, operating means connected with said cam for causing said lift stroke thereof including anaxially movable rod shiftable in one direction to lift the carriage, releasable locking means for holding said rod against movement after actuation thereof to lift said carriage and engageable when said carriage is in a predetermined position, means for releasing said locking means, and adjustable stop means associated with said carriage and structure and engageable to limit the movement of said carriage in response to the lift movement of said cam.

8. In a selector switch mechanism as defined in claim 7 wherein each stem has detent means cooperating therewith to releasably hold said stems in a nonactuated position and said stop means is' adjustable to limit the movement of said carriage by said cam to a position where said stems are releasably held by said detent means.

9. In a selector switch mechanism, a support structure, a carriage having a guideway therein for receiving a control card having spaced openings and spaced imperforate areas, means supporting and guiding said carriage for movement on said support structure along a line perpendicular to the plane of the guideway including a plurality of guide rods extending from one side of said carriage parallel to the line of movement, a bank of stationary switch contacts adjacent said one side of said carriage, a bank of movable switch contacts for cooperation with the stationary switch contacts and including parallel projecting actuating stems, said structure including support members for supporting said contacts adjacent said one side of said carriage with the actuating stems extending parallel to each other to intersect the plane of the guideway, actuator means efiective for moving said carriage relative to said structure and in a direction to cause actuation of said other stems by said imperforate areas, a cam having a lift stroke effective for moving said carriage in the opposite direction in opposition to said actuator means, actuating means for operating said cam on its lift stroke and including latch means for preventing'actuation of said carriage by said actuator means after lifting by said cam, means for releasing said latch means, resilient means including in said actuating means effective to cushion the movement of said carriage by said actuator means, and adjustable abutment means carried by said rods and engageable with said support structure to limit the movement of said carriage by said cam.

10. In a switch mechanism as defined in claim 9 wherein said actuating means is manually operated and includes a rod connected to said cam and axially movable to efiect movement of the cam to lift the carriage, said resilient means including abutment means carried by said rod. 7

11. The method of assembling a switch device having a plurality of laterally spaced contacts certain ones of which are to be connected to a common terminal and others of which are connected to other terminals, stamping contacts from a portion of a strip of sheet metal and leaving a border portion of the strip integral with the contacts at one end thereof to provide a plurality of serially connected contacts extending in parallel relationship from one longitudinal edge of the border portion and parallel to the plane of the border portion, severing the border portion to provide contact groups having a number of contacts therein to be connected to a common point and supporting the contacts by disposing the border portions of the contacts between and perpendicular to a pair of' plates of insulating material laterally spaced from each other and lying in different planes with the spacing between the plates being substantially the same as the width of said border portion and receiving the contacts in apertures in one of the plates.

12. In a switch device, a plurality of switches each comprising first and second contacts, said first contacts being formed of sheet metal and including a tubular portion and said second contactsbeing spaced axially from the tubular portion of its corresponding first contact, each of said switches including a bridging pin coaxial with the tubular portion of the first contact of the switch and extending through the tubular portion of the first contact and movable between a first portion clear of the second contact of the switch to a second position in engagement with the second contact of the switch, said first contacts having second portions extending transversely of the tubular portions thereof at corresponding ends of the tubular portions, means for supporting said first contacts comprising a pair of laterally spaced plates of insulating material lying in different planes and disposed on opposite sides of said second portions with the tubular portions of each of said first contacts being received in a hole extending through one of said plates, the spacing between said plates being such that the said second portions of said first contacts fit closely therebetween, means supporting said second contacts in laterally spaced relationship and in alignment with the tubular portions of the corresponding first contacts, a movable carriage adjacent said first contacts and actuatable in switch closing and switch opening directions, said carriage receiving the end portions of said pins remote from said second contacts and including means for selectively actuating certain of said pins from their said first positions to their said second positions upon actuation of the carriage in a switch closing direction, said carriage including means to return actuated pins to their said second position upon movement of the carriage in a switch opening direction.

13. In a switch device as defined in claim 12 wherein at least part of said first contacts have their second portions integrally connected to form a strip of serially connected contacts with the tubular portions thereof extending in parallel relationship from one edge of the strip.

14. The method of assembling a switch having a plurality of contacts to be connected to a common junction, comprising the steps of providing a plurality of tubu- 11 r lar, side-by-side, parallel contacts stamped from a single sheet of sheet metal and integrally connected to each other at corresponding ends by a selvage strip disposed edgewise to the contacts, and supporting the contacts by disposing the selvage strip between and perpendicular to two plates of insulating material spaced approximately the width of the strip and receiving the contacts in individual openings in one of the plates.

15. In a switch device, a plurality of switches each comprising first and second contacts, said first centacts each being formed of sheet metal and including a tubular portion and said second contacts each being spaced axially from the tubular portion of its correspond ing first contact, each of said switches including a bridging pin coaxial with the tubular portion of the first contact of the switch and extending through the tubular portion of the first contact and movable between a first position clear of the second contact of the switch to a second position in engagement with the second contact of the switch, said first contacts having second portions extending transversely of the tubular portions thereof at corresponding ends of the tubular portions, means for supporting said first contacts comprising a' pair of laterally spaced plates of insulating material lying in different planes and disposed on opposite sides of said second portions with the tubular portions of each of said first contacts being received in a hole extending through one of said plates and each of said pins extending through the hole receiving the corresponding contact and through an aligned opening in the other of said plates, the spacing between said plates being such that the said second portions of said first contacts fit closely therebetween, and means supporting said second contacts in laterally spaced relationship outwardly of the ends of said contacts remote from said second portions and in alignment with the tubular portions of the corresponding first contacts.

16. In' a switchdevice, the structure as defined in claim 15 and which anther includes means adjacent the plate different from the-fo'ne receivingsaid ,contacts for selectively actuating a selected combination of said pins.

17.. A switch assembly comprisinga plate of insulating material having a plurality of openings therein perpendicular to the plane of the plate and extending therethrough, an elongated metal contact received in each of said openings, said contacts including integral portions extending outwardly of one side of said plate, a metal selvage strip lying in a plane generally parallel to said contacts interconnecting said portions and integral therewithand extending substantially perpendicular to said plates, said contacts extending in parallel relationship from a commonlongitudiualedge of said strip, a second plate of insulating material disposed adjacent the remote edge of said strip from said common longitudinal edge and supported parallel with said first plate at a distance therefrom approximately equal to the width of said strip whereby said plate holds the strip and contacts against movement, and an electrical con-' References Cited in the file of this, patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 591,126 Cole Oct. 5, 1897 2,064,157 Franklin Dec. 15, 1936 2,372,882 Daly et al. Apr. 3, 1945 2,561,930 Klay July 24, 1951 

